Grooming implement

ABSTRACT

A comb or like grooming implement has a back and generally parallel integral teeth each of a rounded cross-section which is at least as wide as it is thick. A preferred cross-section is circular, and such circular teeth with an inner portion of greater diameter than a (preferably tapered) outer portion, and with a smooth transition region, are preferred. Such combs are more resistant to breakage and more effective in combing difficult hair.

Unite States Patent [191 'lupper [451 Feb. 19, 1974 GROOMING IMPLEMENT [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Tup! (Panama) S.A., Panama City,

Panama [22] Filed: July 26, 1972 [21] Appl. No.2 275,439

Earl Silas Tupper, Nassau, Bahamas [30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 30, 1971 Great Britain 36074/71 [52] 11.3. C1. 132/150, 132/11 [51] Int. Cl A45d 24/00 [58] Field ofSearchl32/11,159,156,136,149-150, 132/161,106, 137

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,042,048 7/1962 Mostik 132/149 2,626,618 l/l953 Collison 132/136 2,175,344 10/1939 Friedman 132/159 2,604,102 7/1952 Laing 132/113 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 363,011 12/1937 Great Britain 132/136 Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-Gregory E. McNeil] Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Richard Wiener [5 7] ABSTRACT A comb or like grooming implement has a back and generally parallel integral teeth each of a rounded cross-section which is at least as wide as it is thick. A preferred cross-section is circular, and such circular teeth with an inner portion of greater diameter than a (preferably tapered) outer portion, and with a smooth transition region, are preferred. Such combs are more resistant to breakage and more effective in combing difficult hair.

6 Claims, 11 Drawing Figure GROOMING IMPLEMENT This invention relates to a grooming implement and more particularly to a comb. It has particular applica bility to a comb suitable for combing very resistant or difficult hair, such as hair of negroid characteristics.

For the avoidance of doubt, in this specification the terminology used in describing a hair comb or hair pick is as follows:

A comb or pick has a plurality of teeth protruding from and usually integral with a back portion; if placed vertically with teeth downwards and visible, its length lies in the horizontal transverse direction, its width lies in the vertically transverse direction and thickness lies in the direction of observation.

The teeth, considered individually, have length in the vertically transverse direction, width in the horizontally transverse direction and thickness, as before, in the direction of observation.

Combs generally have teeth of a flattened crosssection with the major axis of the section extending along the thickness of the comb. If the comb is used for combing particularly difficult hair there is a tendency for teeth to be splayed apart, and by virtue of the shape of the teeth there is tendency for them to break from the back portion of the comb. Such breaking is progressive since it provides a space into which adjacent teeth can bend. Another disadvantage of providing teeth of a flattened configuration is that the more or less sharp edges of such teeth can exert a crimping effect on hair especially if the comb passes other than straight past the hair. Again this leads to difficulties with certain types of hair.

These disadvantages are overcome according to the present invention, which consists of a comb with a plurality of teeth integral with an extending from the back along mutually parallel axes, each tooth having a crosssection which is non-flattened and of a rounded configuration.

This non-flattened cross-section will usually be at least as wide as it is thick and may either be square with rounded corners, or be of an essentially circular cross section.

In a particularly advantageous form of the present invention the comb has teeth the inner portions of the length of which (i.e., those portions near the back) have a substantially circular cross section and the outer portions of which have a substantially circular cross section of smaller average diameter, with a smooth transition region between the portions. Preferably the inner portions of the teeth are substantially cylindrical and the outer portions are somewhat tapered to a blunt point.

It is particularly envisaged according to the present invention to provide such a comb which is of strong construction. For example, it is envisaged to provide a comb having a handle portion, integral with, and generally aligned with the back portion the width of the handle being from to 1% times the width of the back portion of the comb and preferably being between /2 and 1% times the average length of the teeth.

Such a handle can if preferred be provided with a smooth hook, at the end remote from the teeth, to provide an improved grip on the handle and for convenience of the user.

While it is not desired to limit the broad scope of the invention to any particular construction of comb, it will generally be found suitable to provide a rather short array of teeth, for example from 2 to 6 inches in length. Preferably there will be from five teeth to two teeth per inch length, and where two portions of different cross sections are provided for the teeth it is preferred for the larger cross section to be from three-sixteenths to fivesixteenths of an inch and the smaller to be from oneeighth to three-sixteenths of an inch. It is valuable if the clearance between the thicker portions of the teeth is approximately equal to the average cross section of the thinner portions of the teeth, and vice versa.

One particular embodiment of comb according to the invention will be described with reference to the single FIGURE of accompanying drawing which is a general view of such a comb.

The comb as shown in the drawings is a integral body of synthetic plastic material with a relatively heavy handle portion l, a back portion 2, and a plurality of teeth 3.

The handle 1 can be provided with a suitable hook 4 and with ornamentation as desired at this hook end. The teeth 3 are each circular in cross section. They each consist of an inner portion 3a .and an outer portion 3b, of smaller average diameter than the inner portion and joined to it by a smooth transition region 30. In the embodiment shown there is a slight taper upon the teeth of the comb at the outer portion 3b and they terminate in a smooth rounded point 3d. The ends of the comb 5 are also suitably rounded so as to be free from sharp crimping edges.

In use the comb can be pulled vertically through the hair or can be laid at an angle in the hair and gently teased forward. A comb of this heavy duty construction does not readily break. and the rounded smooth configuration of teeth ensures that difficult hair, and more especially negroid hair, can be gently combed into the required position without additional crimping action over any sharp edges.

Various modifications may be made in the invention.

2. A device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said inner portion of each tooth is substantially cylindrical and said outer portion of each tooth is tapered to a blunt point at its outer end.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 including a handle formed integrally with said back and projecting longitudinally therefrom.

4. A hair grooming device comprising a back and a plurality of teeth formed integrally with the back and extending therefrom along mutually parallel axes, all of said teeth being in a common plane, each tooth exhibiting: an inner portion of circular cross-section; an outer portion of circular cross-section of a smaller diameter than that of said inner portion; and a smooth transition region between said inner and said outer portions.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said inner portion of each tooth is substantially cylindrical and said outer portion of each tooth is tapered to a blunt point at its outer end.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4 including a handle formed integrally with said back and projecting longitudinally therefrom. 

1. A hair grooming device comprising a back and a plurality of teeth formed integrally with the back and extending therefrom along mutually parallel axes, each tooth exhibiting: an inner portion of circular cross-section; an outer portion of circular cross-section of a smaller diameter than that of said inner portion; and a smooth transition region between said inner and said outer portions.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said inner portion of each tooth is substantially cylindrical and said outer portion of each tooth is tapered to a blunt point at its outer end.
 3. The device as claimed in claim 1 including a handle formed integrally with said back and projecting longitudinally therefrom.
 4. A hair grooming device comprising a back and a plurality of teeth formed integrally with the back and extending therefrom along mutually parallel axes, all of said teeth being in a common plane, each tooth exhibiting: an inner portion of circular cross-section; an outer portion of circular cross-section of a smaller diameter than that of said inner portion; and a smooth transition region between said inner and said outer portions.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said inner portion of each tooth is substantially cylindrical and said outer portion of each tooth is tapered to a blunt point at its outer end.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 4 including a handle formed integrally with said back and projecting longitudinally therefrom. 